Cornwallis From A Hill The British example essay topic

The Beginning On December 31, 1738, Charles Cornwallis was born the second Earl Cornwallis, since his father, the fifth Baron Cornwallis, had been rewarded as a Viscount and the first Earl Cornwallis. In 1661, Sir Frederick Cornwallis was rewarded a baron try by Charles II for service to the Stuarts. His mother was the niece of Sir Robert Walpole. His uncle became he Archbishop of Canterbury. Cornwallis was educated at Eton and moved in elite social circles. In 1756, about a month before his eighteenth birthday, Cornwallis purchased an ensign's commission in the Grenadier Guards and then took the extraordinary measure of attending a military school in Turin, Italy to actually study for the position.

He actually only stayed a few months, because he learned that his regiment had been called up to serve in the Seven Years' War in the allied army under Prince Ferdinand in 1758. He never caught up with his own regiment, but he soon became aide-de-camp to the British second-in-command Marquis of Granby, who would eventually command all British forces on the European continent. He was present at the Battle of Minden on August 1, 1759. After serving as a staff officer for about a year, in August 1759, Cornwallis was promoted to Captain in the 85th regiment and returned to England to join his new Colonel of the 12th Foot and took command of the unit in June. On July 15, 1761, the unit was heavily engaged at Vellinghausen, Germany. It would see many other minor engagements before entering winter quarters.

The unit continued to see action in 1762. In July 1762, Cornwallis received word that his father had died the previous month, passing the estate and a seat in the House of Lords on to Charles, now 2nd Earl Cornwallis. He assumed the seat in the House of Lords in November 1762. He managed to remain in favor with the court even though he voted against the Stamp Act in March 1765.

In July 1765, he was appointed a lord of the bedchamber. He was named aide-de-camp to the King in August 1765. In March 1766, he voted against the Declaratory Act. In March 1766, Cornwallis purchased a colonelcy of the 33rd foot.

In 1768, he married Jemima Tulle kin Jones, the daughter of the untitled Colonel James Jones of the 3rd Foot Guards. The marriage would produce first a daughter, Mary and then a son, Charles. He then declined further service in the government and in 1769; he gave up his appointment as lord of the bedchamber for the post of joint vice-treasurer of Ireland. In 1770, he became a member of the King's Privy Council. In 1771, he became Constable of the Tower of London.

In 1775, he was promoted to Major General, which continued to show that King George trusted in his abilities even though Cornwallis opposed the King's policies against the American colonies. War Times In the fall of 1775, the British began to assemble in the southern colonies. Now Major General Charles Cornwallis, he was ordered to sail 7 regiments with 2 companies of artillery from Cork. Cornwallis had easily advanced in the Kings services and asked for the job.

Vice Admiral Peter Parker warships were to convoy Cornwallis' 2,000 troops in 30 odd transports. They were to meet an officer appointed by Commander-in-Chief General Howe and leave the men. Even though after the men left Cornwallis' hands the were defeated he would get promoted later. Long Island August 22-29, 1776: Now Lieutenant General Cornwallis commanded Howe's reserves along with the Hessian led Colonel Carl von Do nop.

They went ahead 4.5 miles ahead to clear the woods for Howe's main group. They stopped in Flatbrush spoiling Washington's plans to get Cornwallis to led him to Howe. As Washington watched Cornwallis from a hill the British main body pushed forward undetected. Eventually the British caught on and were slowed down. The Americans then went for Flatbrush. Cornwallis with his 71st regiment and 2nd grenadier division on Gowan us Road blocking Strivings (American) rear.

It was the strongest fight that day 1". Rejoice my friend, for we have given the Rebels a d-d crush. The Hessian and our Brave Highlander gave no quarter, and it was a fine sight to see with their bayonets after were had surrounded them so they could not resist". - British officer Stirling who was being pursued ran right into Cornwallis.

5 x the Marylanders had pushed Cornwallis back but the 6th final push Cornwallis was reinforced and he drove back the Americans. 2". They fought like wolves". - Stirling after losing to Cornwallis. They Americans broke into small groups and tried to escape into the woods. Only an officer name Gist and 9 others made it.

Stirling was to missing. 256 Marylanders were killed our captured. 3". ... the British, by a route we have never dreamed, surrounded us and driven us into their lines or scattered us into the woods. All expect for the Delaware & Maryland Battalions, who were at the bay with double their numbers". - American Riflemen on the retreat The American reinforced the next day and were expecting to be stormed by the British, but the British just pulled back and rested leaving the American paranoid and restless, missing the chance have completely crush the Americans, who marched off into New York beat up and counting their blessings. Hudson River Forts Campaign August-November 1776 Washington had left garrisons on the Hudson River.

Colonel said he could hold the Redcoats off till November who were in Long Island at the time. Washington put Nathaniel Greene in command even though he had his dots that the garrison could be held that long. The New Jersey Militia reinforced the shorelines waiting for a British attack. They only had 2900. Maga w, second in command, stationed Colonel Moses Rawlings with a group of riflemen to secure Fort Washington. 200 Pennsylvanians led by Colonel Baxter occupied fleches on Laurel Hill.

2 miles south 800 men under Lt. Colonel Lambert Cadwalder occupied the front line on Harlem Heights. Each attachment was about a mile apart. Howe knew of the plan and sent Lord Percy to attack Calwalader, and Generals Matthews & Cornwallis to lead an assault on Laurel Hill. Howe and others attacked Fort Washington and pushed the into the waiting Highlanders. 8,000 British stormed the Americans. Cornwallis easily took his position and the positioned his troops to force Calawalder into Fort Washington.

By the end of November the Americans lost their foothold in New York. New Jersey Campaign November 1776-January 1777 On the 20th of November, Howe sent 4,000 men under the command of Lord Cornwallis between Dobbis' Ferry (American Ship), and Fort Lee to pen Nathaniel Greene and his 2,000 men between the Hudson and the Hackensack River. An American patrol spotted Cornwallis and woke Greene straight out of bed. Greene hurriedly marched his men to Washington in the village of Hackensack. Cornwallis was so close on Greene that several Americans were killed and 105 captured.

4". A set of rascals that sculled out of the way for fear of fighting- Greene referring to the captured American. The British found cannons, 300 tents, muskets, 1000's of shot shell and cartridges, and over 1000 barrels of flour. It was considered a great American loss. 5".

On the appearance of our troops, the rebels fled like scared rabbits and a few moments after we reached the hill not a rascal of them could be seen. They left some poor pork, a few greasy Proclamations, and some of that Common Sense man's letters, which can be read for leisure now that we have got one of the 'impregnable rebouts' of Mr. Washington's to quarter in... We intend to push on after the long faces in a few days". - British soldier not concerned with the American our the loot. Another force of 30,000 men was coming to assist Cornwallis. With nowhere to go Washington could only hope to march away from any British to Newark.

Washington ran to save his Army and Cornwallis pursued him with a puzzling leisure. 6". As we go forward into the country, the rebels fly before us, and as we come back they follow us; 'tis impossible to catch them. They will never fight nor totally run away, but they keep at such a distance that we are always a march before the. We seem to be playing a game of Bo-Peep".

- British officer. One day as Cornwallis rested, Washington took advantage and escaped across the Delaware River. Cornwallis assembles 8,000 men and found Washington in Assur pick in Trenton. Washington urged skirmishes to stop Cornwallis from the American escaping with 70,000 pounds and many supplies. Cornwallis was pushed back to Brunswick. Washington than boxed the British into New Jersey but they easily broke the blockade but missed the American supplies.

In Howe's Philadelphia Campaign, Cornwallis commanded 3,000 troops. On Sept. 11, 1777 he led forces in the Battle of Brandywine against Washington and captured Philadelphia 7". Howe captured Philadelphia? No, Philadelphia has captured Howe!" - Benjamin Franklin when he heard of the capture of Philadelphia. In January 1778, Cornwallis was promoted to Lt. General, and his friend General Clinton, became the Commander-in-Chief.

On April 1778 the men sailed back to the war after being on leave. In June Greene in the Battle of Monmouth defeated Cornwallis and Clinton. They force need reinforcements. Cornwallis sailed for England once again. While home his wife became very ill and died Feb of 1779. Cornwallis was denied reinforcement's and returned to the war.

Clinton wanted to reign and let Cornwallis take his place but was denied. Southern Campaign In December 1779 Clinton, Cornwallis, and Banister Tarlatan sailed south to capture Charleston, South Carolina. Cornwallis cut of supply lines to hasten the fall of Charleston. They seceded on May 112, 1780. Cornwallis left to establish stations around Charleston and mop up South Carolina. After he did that he would meet Clinton in Virginia.

In August 1780 Cornwallis heard of 2 regiments of the Continental Army led by Major General Horatio Gates, the Hero of Saratoga. Cornwallis fought him in the Battle of Camden on August 16, 1780. The smaller forces of Cornwallis easily routed the 3,000 untested militia. Lt. Colonel Tarlatan was sent to intercept Thomas Smutters. He surprised Smutters and dispersed him at Fishing Creek, South Carolina on August 17. On Sept.

26 Cornwallis occupied Charlotte, North Carolina after being harassed by William Richardson Davie and his men. At the Battle of King's Mountain Cornwallis lost his flanking force of 11,000. Now that he was exposed Cornwallis retreated into South Carolina. 8". Going through Carolina was like walking through a hornets nest"- Cornwallis Cornwallis had to keep his supply lines open will dealing with the South Carolina Militia.

After defeating Cornwallis' group led by Tarlatan, Nathaniel Greene regroups with his army north to avoid Cornwallis who was furiously chasing him. Cornwallis had burned his baggage train to catch Green. In was known as the 'Race to the Dan River' on the Virginia and North Carolina border. Greene escaped and Cornwallis was force to make camp for the winter. In North Carolina March 15, 1781 Greene returned to clash with Cornwallis in the Battle of Guilford Courthouse. After inflicting heavy damage on Cornwallis Greene withdrew to save his men.

Cornwallis was unable to pursue his nemesis Greene. Cornwallis was now very weak. In May 1781 he left Carolina for Virginia against everything that Clinton told him. Furious Cornwallis was to determined to finish Washington, defeat him, and end the war. At Green Spring, Virginia Cornwallis could have crushed Marquis Lafayette and General Anthony Wayne, which could have saved him a lot of trouble later on in Yorktown. Cornwallis had orders to set up an outpost for the Royal Navy.

Not knowing that Lafayette had told of his position went to Yorktown. In late August after Admiral de Grasse of the French led a blockade in Chesapeake Bay blocking the Royal Navy. By the end of September Washington was outside of Washington planning the siege to take place on Oct. 9. By Oct 17 Cornwallis was out numbered after waiting for back up from Clinton surrendered costing the war. Cornwallis did not attend the official surrender. After the War Cornwallis was not blamed for the defeat of the British.

In May 1782 he was to become Governor-Generalship of India but the arrangements were never finished. In Feb. 1783 he resigned as the constable of the Tower of London but took over its military duties. On Feb 24, 1786 he became Governor of India. There he put down the Rebellion of Tippoo Sahib and reformed the administered system. He became 1st Marquees Cornwallis and returned to England in 1794. On Feb. 11, 1797 he assumed the post as Governor-General and Commander-in-Chief of Ireland and put down another rebellion.

He helped achieve the Act of Union, which was the ill-fated treaty the combined the Irish and British Parliaments. In 1801 he resigned. In 1805 he once again became Governor of India but died Oct. 5th 1805 only serving 2 months.